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Crossroads to Crime (1960)
Gerry Anderson was given a chance to direct a rather slight routine drama, but at least there's a nice final twist.
"Mr Miles says, Right Now!" so Connie (Miriam Karlin) has to down tools at the roadside cafe where she works. A policeman sees her being forced away into a car and attempts to prevent her abduction. When Constable Ross (Anthony Oliver) regains consciousness, he's told that he was found lying at the side of a road. Mr Miles' kind henchman Diamond (George Murcell) has kindly brought him home. So why does Diamond hand £50 in cash to Ross' wife?
Meantime, Connie has finally been brought face to face with Mr Miles (Ferdy Mayne). "You've been stepping out of line," she's warned. It seems Miles uses the cafe as a storage depot for all his gang's stolen goods.
Ross has been watching the cafe and next day visits Connie there hoping she might talk. Coincidentally Diamond and his men are stealing the cargo from a lorry parked outside. Ross never even notices anything.
Miles plans one final heist, an £80,000 haul from another lorry. "Works too easy," observes Diamond, who's getting cold feet with all those police snooping round. Ross pretends to accept Diamond's £50 and even some more cash. So much so, that Diamond thinks he's bent and gets him to act as security escort on the lorry they're going to rob. When the driver Len reaches the cafe, Ross asks him to warn the police. Len has to be silenced of course. So Ross has to single-handedly stop the goods being taken. In a lengthy showdown, it's rather one sided as only Diamond has a shooter. The angry Diamond stalks Ross, to finish him off.
Wallace
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Man Detained (1961)
The Maple Safe Job - "neat, clean and professional, and all for £20." What the police don't yet know, is that there was actually £10,000 stolen from that safe!
The two and a half minute opening sequence, without any dialogue, shows a lone thief breaking in to the office of the Maple Photographic Service (City 0211) and happily finding this huge amount of cash in the safe.
Next day he's surprised to see no news of the job in the papers, but what he doesn't know is that Mr Maple who's "a bit jumpy" has told his secretary Miss Simpson and the police that only the petty cash had been nicked.
Maple is clearly worried, and after contacting a Mr Helder (Paul Stassino) to tell him about the missing ten thousand, becomes "a drunken mess."
The thief Frank Murray is picked up by Supt Verity (Bernard Archard). But is he more than a thief, as Maple has been killed? Certainly his story about stealing £10,000 looks thin, as Maple hadn't reported such a theft. But shrewd Supt Verity knows "it doesn't add up," and a close inspection of the cash shows that it's counterfeit.
Then Mrs Maple confesses she'd been having an affair with Helder, after he has ditched her. Verity knows of this crook: "a pretty smart customer." So he's watched: "sooner or later he'll make a mistake and then we'll have him." Helder's 'mistake' is in worrying that Miss Simpson might know more than she's said about the counterfeiting. So he kidnaps her.
Yet Supt Verity isn't entirely inactive. He persuades thief Murray to try and redeem himself by blackmailing Helder and this results in a showdown at Helder's warehouse underneath the arches. The police are terribly slow in arriving as usual, so poor Murray gets a bit of a beating. Even after they appear, Helder makes a break using Miss Simpson as a shield. Finally a chase around those well known railway marshalling yards, with the traditional punishment for Helder.
To Eadgar Wallace Menu
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The Sinister Man
An evocative opening as a corpse floats downstream to Parsons Green lock where it is fished out by the lock keeper (Wilfred Brambell). Two weeks is the estimated time for it having been in the Thames. Death had resulted from a blow to the neck. Superintendent Wills goes to a Consort Gate embassy where he learns the man had been a professor of oriental studies at Oxford. Three priceless tablets he had been working on had disappeared with him.
At his college the superintendent questions the staff. These include Elsa Marlowe (Jacqueline Ellis) who was last to see the prof alive. Ex-Korean POW Dr Pollard (Patrick Allen) is given complete security clearance. But Dr Tarn (John Glyn-Jones) is perhaps more dubious, since he's half Czech.
Next, to a boat hire yard in Cookham, where a boat had been hired from which the body had been dumped into the river. But before the police arrive, the owner is murdered. Another karate chop had killed him. Since only the college staff knew about the superintendent's visit there, it's back to Oxford!
Suspicion falls on a Japanese fellow when the late prof's pipe is discovered in his room. But is he guilty? And why is Dr Pollard in the money suddenly? We get a glimpse of college life as we see Pollard proposing to Elsa Marlowe. She phones the Yard when she realises who the real killer is. It's Dr Pollard. He forces her to drive with him to the Bushido Judo Club. Police surround the area but Pollard threatens another karate chop, this time on the defenceless Miss Marlowe. "I'm afraid my judo's a little rusty," admits the honest Supt Wills. Police merely hang around outside the building whilst Pollard engages him in deadly judo. But finally a copper appears with a truncheon to silence the evil Pollard.
To the embassy where the tablets are recovered, into the hands of the inevitable Burt Kwouk.
Rather jarring background music at times, in Clive Donner's thriller with John Bentley ever reliable as Supt Wills.
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Time to Remember (1962)
Three crooks spend all night robbing an empty house of a valuable stamp collection and jewellery. "Sammy's been round the block so many times
he must be dizzy!" remarks a perceptive Jumbo (David Lodge). When the safe is finally blown, the police are alerted and in a rooftop chase in the snow Jumbo hides the jewels down a chimney before
slipping off the roof. Getaway driver Sammy ("introducing Ray Barrett") speeds away with French Victor to the airport. Jumbo lies dying.
Mrs 'Jackson' (in reality Jumbo's widow) calls at the Estate Agents and asks the proprietor Jack (Harry H Corbett) if she can view 11 Eaton Street West. However as the police are "in possession", there might be some delay.
Jack's secretary realises Mrs Jackson's identity and helps Jack see the chance of some easy money. Jack explores the property and, on the roof, spots the jewels down the chimney. The blocked-up fireplace is opened up and he's rich!
But other eyes are watching him and Jack has to kill. In the struggle he loses his new watch, a present from his doting secretary.
With the proceeds from the jewels, Jack is able to buy the house. Sadly, as he takes possession Mrs 'Jackson' arrives
with the police claiming a reward for finding the jewels - she says they're behind the fireplace. A bit of a facer for Jack as the corpse of the man he killed, Victor, is concealed there, and of course it happens to be clutching Jack's own watch!
Harry H Corbett is excellent as the estate agent who gets out of his depth, and director Charles Jarrott maintains the pace of a plot about when thieves fall out.... A very typical early Sixties lively thriller.
Wallace
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Locker Sixty Nine (1962)
A cryptic phone call to Julie Denver from Bennett
Sanders (Edward Underdown): "You know what to do." It's part of Bennett's
elaborate plan for outwitting his business partner John Griffiths (Paul
Daneman): "When I gave you your start," Bennett tells him bitterly, "you were a
tuppeny halfpenny little clerk."
After a night in town Bennett returns home
and is killed. He's found by his private detective Craig, who however is
immediately bashed on the head. The police are not convinced it's murder as
there's now no corpse! But Craig knows, and with the help of reporter Simon York
(Eddie Byrne) they talk to Julie who claims Bennett was no more than a "friend"
and Griffiths who clearly despises his partner. "He's not exactly a faithful
man," adds Griffiths. The night he died he's been seeing a girl called Eva as
well as Julie.
A file is to be opened in the event of Bennett Sanders'
death. It's kept in the Pall Mall Safe Deposit locker 69. Craig has Bennett's
written instructions to take the file to South America without the partner's
knowledge. But the file is stolen by Ralph Peters (Edwin Richfield), shadowy
partner of Julie, and Craig has disappeared!
Miguel, brother of Eva is a
suspect when he's found searching through Craig's rooms. He and Eva have a
strong motive as their family were killed indirectly by the firm of Sanders and
Griffiths when they had sent dodgy food aid to their South American village.
Miguel had sworn to kill them both.
Julie is leaving for South America. At
the airport she's to meet her confederates who have the file. Reporter Simon
intercepts Ralph who's with the once dead Bennett. Simon jokes he's arrived to
"pay respects to the dead." Retorts Bennett: "if it's repentance you're looking
for, I'm not the man." Well, you knew, didn't you, Edward Underdown wouldn't
have disappeared after the first scene! The sorry story of blackmail, corruption
and double cross is ploddingly revealed. A long argument about food before the
crooks draw a gun and leave for the airport, and Julie. Out of the car and on to
the runway, except the police, in the traditional style, swoop
Wallace
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The Set Up (1962)
"My wife reads that sort of stuff in bed. Even she doesn't believe it!"
Thus the police superintendent of Arthur's dubious story. Just out of jail, he had been travelling without a valid ticket on a train and a kind passenger, Theo Gaunt (Maurice Denham) had offered to pay the 17/6d. A friend of Theo's had later offered
him a job: "how would you like to earn some money, Arthur? Real money. £100." Perhaps that was "real" in them days! The man, a film producer (Anthony Bate) wants the gullible Arthur to steal some diamonds from a safe - the man's own safe!
But during the robbery Arthur is interrupted and a woman is shot dead.
There are a lot of twists now in Roger Marshall's story. "One new twist," says the sergeant, " is he used the telephone. Oh, and he didn't wear gloves." So it's easy to work out Arthur is guilty. Another twist is that the dead woman is wife of the kind
railway passenger, "one of the richest, most important men in the county."
Arthur hides out in a cottage. Another twist - he tells Pamela, the attractive young occupant, that he didn't kill the woman. She goes off to Inspector Johnson (John Carson) with this story.
"Wouldn't I have come up with a better story than that if I was lying?" Arthur asks Johnson. Indeed his story does check out.
Meanwhile the two posh crooks have fallen out. Gaunt is being blackmailed for £25,000. The police arrive to question Gaunt just as he's legging it. The blackmailers rather conveniently arrive also. Rather a feeble end after a promising start.
At least there's a memorable final line - "Is there anything more pathetic," concludes Gaunt sadly, "than a middle aged fool?"
Wallace
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Incident at Midnight (1962)
Vince Warren (William Sylvester) chats up the wife of Eric Leichner (Anton Diffring) whilst Leichner makes a million with girl friend Vanessa. But when they fall out, she winds up dead.
The main action, if it can be called that, is at an all night chemists where disgraced Dr Schroder (Martin Miller) wiles away the hours. He recognises Leichner from the old days and believes he's an imposter.
Arriving at the chemists is a badly injured man, in need of "patching up." Although struck off, Schroder agrees to help- "it's not going to be easy," he admits. Of course the man and his friends are criminals- they have stolen £50,000, killing a security guard in the process. They close up the chemists, but Leichner manages to break in. He's come for the Key, only one of the crooks has passed it to the wrong person. The police arrive in the shape of Inspector Macready (Peter Howell) to find Leichner shot dead- "the party's just warming up!"
The Key is passed to Warren, who's actually a US narcotics agent. It opens a locker where the stolen money has been hidden. There's a final shootout at the chemists and a chase down an underground escalator with £50,000 showering downwards in the only memorable moment in a story which despite its strong cast is slow moving and frankly awful.
Edgar Wallace
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The Rivals (1963)
Along a peaceful suburban street, with no moving cars in sight, car thieves steal a Ford Consul. Inside they find a package with the note "Christina safe. £75,000 if you want to see her again." Newspapers are full of the story of the disappearance of Miss Nielsen, heiress of a Swedish industrialist. The thieves, Steve and Teddy, decide to get the ransom for themselves and send Nielsen instructions for payment. Nielsen with his secretary have to follow a prescribed route to Wimbledon Golf Course where the money is deposited in a hut. After checking the loot, Nielsen is informed where to find his daughter. All very straightforward, except the address of 12 Barham Road Raynes Park is that of his secretary! At home she discovers the real kidnappers, Paul and Alex, have, not unnaturally, moved their prize, but she knows where. and whizzes off to a houseboat. Nielsen has followed and is reunited with his darling.
Paul had traced the breakers yard from where Steve operates and is at his home to await them and their loot. In the ensuing kerfuffle Paul gets shot, so does Teddy, as the crooks fall out.
Perhaps rather a predictable finale but the plot is more complex than we have described and is directed with pace by old hand Max Varnel.
Wallace
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Five to One (1963)
Which is the best film in the Wallace series? This must be a strong candidate.
Roger Marshall's story begins at a posh country club where John Thaw and Lee Montague discuss a £60,000 robbery. At Larry's (LM) usual rate of 5-1 that means Alan Roper will be paid £12,000 of the "most anonymous money you ever saw."
We see Roper's meticulous plans: 1. Blackmail. An insurance worker is forced to reveal information about Larry himself.
2. Disable the burglar alarm at Larry's betting shop. Mate John does this part of the operation.
3. John buys some 'plastic' at Elmbrook Garage.
Yes, the £12,000 that Larry is collecting as payment is, as Roper explains, "so we can rob Him."
After doctoring the milk bottles on Larry's smart doorstep, Alan and John find Larry and his wife later that night nicely drugged. Whilst the married couple doze in bed ("wonder if it was the sleeping pills or the television"), the bedroom safe is opened and an impression of his keys is taken.
Then a dummy raid on the betting shop to persuade Larry to keep the £12,000 payoff in his safe at home. All very subtle and complex, so no wonder John wants to make it all a lot simpler!
The night for the robbery. But the best laid plans etc, and Larry's wife is unexpectedly at home. She's tied up and can only watch whilst Alan and John open the safe. It doesn't open. Larry's been ultra-careful and changed the combination that they had taken so much pains to learn!
Consternation. Alan devises a new plan.
Larry returns home in his flash sports car and checks his safe. At this point he's bashed on the head and the safe is finally emptied of its contents. But the crooks never get away, the police are waiting. They had made one fatal slip.
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We Shall See (1964)
No bust of EW in the titles - probably he was turning in his grave over this feeble effort.
A scream. A frightenend lady. Only a bee! Neurotic Alva doesn't want her airline pilot husband Evan to go to work today. But at least her brother Greg has come to stay. On his way to the airport Evan has a crash. Whilst Alva visits him in hospital persuading him
that his job as "an aerial bus driver" is over, Greg rifles the house for his late mother's key which will open a safe deposit, and which Alva has hidden.
Evan recovers in hosptal, not thanks to his wife, more to charming nurse Rosemary. He learns his wife is a psychopath. Apparently he'd never guessed. Alva has so many 'enemies' apart from Evan and Greg.
For instance, her gardener is found keeping bees and she promptly sacks him.
The gardener's daughter, who has a crush on Evan, also hates her - "I would like to see those bees all over her," is her rather unpleasant idea.
Alva finally leaves Evan, on the eve of his trial for dangerous driving. A charge of drunk driving is dropped. But surprise surprise, Alva rolls into court to create a scene, insisting he was tiddly.
Afterwards, Evan finds consolation in Rosemary. Will he ever escape her persecution? "It's got to be," he announces enigmatically.
Alva is staying at the Gatwick Manor Inn. We all know what's going to happen to her. Yes - a swarm of bees are introduced into her room. It's like Hitch's The Birds only The Bees. Enter the police with the brilliant deduction "everyone here had some reason for wishing
Mrs Alva Collins out of the way."
At least there's a good performance from Maurice Kaufmann as Evan, but even the final surprise can't pull the sting out of a story that is too fearfully tedious in its build up to its predictable climax
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Change Partners (1965)
I like this story about Anna (Zena Walker at her nasty worst) who goads her lover Ricky into doing something about their relationship which is rather marred by the fact that they are both married. "Supposing Ben and Betty were found in circumstances pointing to an affair," the dominant Anna suggests to poor Ricky. He wonders what she might mean by "found."
The plan is to get Betty to drive the perennially drunk Ben home from a shareholder's meeting, in a car which has been tampered with in advance by Ricky. Betty parks the vehicle in the integral garage but the engine refuses to switch off, and what's worse, Anna is lurking nearby and has slammed the door shut. Anna stands outside as Betty chokes to death. Ben's too drunk to notice.
"We've got away with it," Anna reassures Ben, who is getting a conscience about it all. But what they didn't know is that a certain Joe and Jean have been spying on them at their secret trysts, and Joe appears on the doorstep demanding a little "insurance." Anna fobs him off, convincing Joe that Ben and Betty were also lovers. Garage Suicide Pact read the headlines, which seems to confirm Anna's tale.
"We got away with it," repeats Anna grinning at the nervous Ricky. But Joe has realised it doesn't quite add up and approaches Ricky for "a couple of thousand" plus "fifty a week." In a panic, Ben obeys Anna's order to come to The White Hart where Joe is living it up with his girl. He's in the money now. "When he comes out, you follow him," Anna tells Ricky. Drive him off the road is all he has to do. A doubtful Ricky carries out her instructions: "I almost enjoyed it," he tells her afterwards. We have just witnessed that familar shot of a car plunging in flames over a cliff.
The story is an excellent parable of a character drawn deeper and deeper into the mire. Of course it's still not all over. Joe had been two-timing Jean, who now phones Ricky: "you're not getting away with it." Anna intervenes, in a barbed scene which ends in a monetary gift from Anna to Jean. "There's no end to it," moans the beaten Ricky. "All the spine's gone out of you," Anna tells him. She plans for them to leave the country as their only option, but instead, he locks himself in the garage and turns on the ignition. Anna doesn't get away either.
Wallace
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Dead Man's Chest (1965) with John Thaw
Johnnie and Dave plan an "exciting giggle" to expose the dangers of circumstantial evidence, but mostly to get themselves press publicity. Johnnie is to hide himself in a large chest for a few minutes after they stage a fake murder, but their scheme goes awry when the Vanguard Estate in which Dave places the chest is stolen by a gang for using in a bank getaway.
"A man is going to suffocate," shouts a desperate Dave to the police. But they have had enough of his gimmicky stunts and don't believe him, until, that is, "neanderthal" Inspector Briggs (John Collin) spots some blood in Dave's flat. But where has Johnnie disappeared to? What starts as a promising story deteriorates into "a very interesting case," at least that's what Dave's solicitor (Geoffrey Bayldon) calls it. For me, the story drags on and on, until the crooks read all the newspaper publicity about the missing chest and claim a reward for its discovery. The chest is opened by Inspector Briggs- empty except for a large statue.
Going to Wales, Dave's wife manages to track down Johnnie, who claims he was keeping in hiding as part of their gimmick. So he never got into that chest and Dave ends up a wiser man. "What was it all for?" Johnnie asks him. "Good question," replies Dave. No comment, I say.
Thus the series ended sadly on a low. Possibly this story is only of interest for a good support cast that also includes Peter Bowles as a crook with a very high pitched voice and Graham Crowden as a brusque Scottish newspaperman.
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